Hubble telescope stars
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Hubble Space Telescope and Star Studies
R136 Star Cluster Analysis with Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has provided significant insights into the R136 star cluster, the central ionizing cluster of the 30 Doradus region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), researchers conducted a comprehensive far-ultraviolet spectroscopic census of R136, covering the central 0.85 parsec. This study classified 90% of the 57 brightest sources and measured wind velocities for 52 early-type stars, including 16 O2-3 stars. The findings revealed that the He II λ1640 emission line is predominantly produced by very massive stars with initial masses exceeding 100 solar masses, suggesting an initial mass function extending beyond the conventional upper limit .
Further optical analysis of 55 members of R136, complete down to about 40 solar masses, identified seven stars with masses over 100 solar masses. The study indicated a top-heavy initial mass function and highlighted the significant role of the most massive stars in the cluster's ionizing and mechanical output. The age of R136 was estimated to be between 1 and 2 million years, with a median age of around 1.6 million years .
Star Cluster Catalogs in the Triangulum Galaxy
The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury: Triangulum Extended Region (PHATTER) survey utilized HST images to construct a catalog of 1214 star clusters in the inner disk of the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). This catalog, which includes multiband aperture photometry and fits for cluster properties, identified 68% of the clusters as newly discovered. The catalog's 50% completeness limit was approximately 1500 solar masses at an age of 100 million years .
Additionally, the PHATTER survey provided panchromatic resolved stellar photometry for 22 million stars in M33, covering a large contiguous area of about 14 square kilometers. The photometry reached significant depths, allowing for detailed analysis of young and old stellar populations within the galaxy .
High-Resolution Imaging of Local Star-Forming Galaxies
A sample of 24 local star-forming galaxies was observed using HST's broadband and narrowband photometry as part of the Great Observatories All-sky Luminous Infrared Galaxies Survey. The study utilized narrowband filters around the Hα and Paβ emission lines to estimate dust attenuation and star formation rates (SFR). The dust-corrected Paβ SFR closely matched the SFR inferred from infrared luminosity, providing a comprehensive picture of star formation across cosmic time .
Hubble's Role in Studying the Universe's First Stars
Hubble's Frontier Fields program aimed to explore the oldest and most distant regions of the cosmos by leveraging gravitational lensing. By targeting six massive galaxy clusters, astronomers hoped to observe faint galaxies that likely hosted the universe's first stars. Early results from this program are expected to shed light on the epoch of reionization, a critical period when the universe's neutral gas was ionized .
Conclusion
The Hubble Space Telescope has significantly advanced our understanding of star clusters and star formation in various galaxies. From detailed analyses of the R136 star cluster to comprehensive catalogs of star clusters in the Triangulum Galaxy, Hubble's observations have provided invaluable data on the properties and evolution of stars. Additionally, Hubble's innovative use of gravitational lensing is poised to reveal new insights into the universe's earliest stars, further cementing its role as a cornerstone of modern astrophysics.
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